Russia’s use of cluster bomb in Ukraine ‘may be a war crime’

Amnesty International has condemned Russia’s alleged use of cluster munitions in Ukraine, claiming that an attack on a pre-school “may constitute a war crime.”

On Friday, a “220mm Uragan rocket dropped cluster munitions on the Sonechko nursery and kindergarten in the town of Okhtyrka in Sumy Oblast,” according to the human rights charity.

It added: “The strike may constitute a war crime.”

“As this human tragedy unfolds in Ukraine, any person who commits war crimes should be held individually accountable before the International Criminal Court (ICC) or another international criminal justice process at the national or international level.

“It is imperative that UN member states and the ICC urgently consider how to ensure the timely and effective collection and preservation of evidence of any crimes under international law committed in Ukraine.”

According to Human Rights Watch, examples of cluster munitions use have also been identified.

On Friday, it was revealed that the Russian military had used a cluster bomb the day before in the town of Vuhledar.

According to the organisation, four civilians were killed in the attack.

According to Human Rights Watch, the weapon poses a “immediate threat to civilians during conflict by randomly dispersing submunitions or bomblets over a wide area.”

On Sunday, Bellingcat, a website that specialises in investigations and verification, announced that it had discovered multiple sites in Ukraine where cluster munitions had been used.

It described two incidents: one at a pre-school in Okhtyrka and one in Kharkiv, where it had verified social media reports of cluster munition attacks.

Bellingcat said: “Open source evidence from Ukraine appears to suggest that the cluster munitions… are not being carefully targeted. Instead, we have identified multiple examples that have impacted civilians, schools and hospitals.